I've been reading several articles/ books on installing my package bees. They all mention spraying the bees just before installing them. However they all seem to give different ratios for the water: sugar content of the syrup.
So what do YOU use?
And while on the subject. We are in the midst of a winter storm here in Alberta, and so the chance of having any decent nectar flow by the time my bees arrive is looking slim - I will still be feeding my bees for a while after they arrive. Again the books/ articles all seem to give different advice ratios for syrup for feeding. What do YOU use? I know not to boil the liquid so as not to caramelize the sugar..so hot water and how much sugar : water??????
And which ratio of sugar: water do I use to spray the pierco foundation frames with before installing?
Thank you!
1:1 ratio especially if you are on foundation. Which it sounds like you maybe on foundation. If not you can use 1:2 Sugar:water
Quote from: BMAC on April 21, 2008, 04:06:38 PM
1:1 ratio especially if you are on foundation. Which it sounds like you maybe on foundation. If not you can use 1:2 Sugar:water
Is that to spray on the bees? Or the pierco foundation? or to feed? Sorry...I'm a total beginner. Just want to be clear.
On the Bees. Make them moist, but don't drown them.
Mike
1:1 by weight in the spring, for everything. I asked the president of our BeeKeepers assoc. this when I first started. He said to keep it simple you can use 5 pounds of sugar to a gallon of water, but that isn't really true 1:1. I believe 8 pounds of sugar to a gallon of water is closer to true 1:1, but I have yet to see an 8 lb. bag of sugar for sale at Walmart. 5lbs to a gallon seems to work fine.
You can spray the frames too. That will help them draw out the frames. Also if nothing is in bloom right now you will want to give them a pollen patty and feed them 1:1 syrup after installing them. They need to get to work right away drawing comb and get the queen laying eggs.
Thank you :)
>So what do YOU use?
I don't. If I were to use syrup it would be 1:2 (1 part sugar to 2 parts water). But I don't.
Quote from: Michael Bush on April 21, 2008, 09:26:57 PM
>So what do YOU use?
I don't. If I were to use syrup it would be 1:2 (1 part sugar to 2 parts water). But I don't.
What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta? (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday) What would an alternative be? I would be very interested to know of all alternatives! thanks in advance!!
>What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta? (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday) What would an alternative be? I would be very interested to know of all alternatives! thanks in advance!!
The alternative is to use nothing. I wouldn't want wet bees in cold weather. I don't want wet bees in nice weather. :) I just shake them into the hive.
Quote from: Michael Bush on April 21, 2008, 10:51:08 PM
>What would your advice be - if you were living in an area like Alberta? (ie where it is currently a -20c windchill with 25cm of snow since Saturday) What would an alternative be? I would be very interested to know of all alternatives! thanks in advance!!
The alternative is to use nothing. I wouldn't want wet bees in cold weather. I don't want wet bees in nice weather. :) I just shake them into the hive.
Oh, no I meant to feed and to spray the frames too.....
Sorry, my original question had three parts. I totally understand about not wanting the bees to be wet in cold weather though.
For feeding when it's below 50 F dry sugar works well. They will eat it to keep from starving and they can eat it when it's cold. For above 50 F, syrup works fine. A feeder that is closer to the cluster works better, like baggie feeders right on the top bars. As far as ratio the standard spring feed is 1:1. I find they do just as well on 2:1 and it keeps longer and I don't have to haul as much syrup to the yards.
Issues in feeding such as cold:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#feederissues
Ratios of syrup:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm#ratios
The whole page on feeding:
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesfeeding.htm
Thank you very much! Very helpful!